Tear of the Ocean
by AzureF
Summary: This is one of my first works, made shortly after the one that had been stolen. Luckily, this one has never been taken to my knowledge. It's basic plotline is about a shining Grovyle who is a key peice in a plot to take over the Grovyle species in the rei
1. Chapter 1

Tear of the Ocean Chapter 1: Banishment

The female Grovyle tended her nest carefully. The one, last egg that had survived to this point was the last hope for her clan, and she would defend it with her life. Her mate, the Alpha male, had been killed by a group of Scyther the day before, and now it was up to her to keep the clan together.

The egg twitched and squeaked, and the Grovyle mother, Reflection, smiled. The Treecko in that small, oblong sphere had the entire band at its claw tips. To be the next Alpha was its future, and perhaps it was not as far off as it seemed.

Suddenly, the egg twitched again and a small crack appeared in the shell. Reflection checked the surrounding area for danger quickly, and found none. She stood protectively next to her clan's hope and growled a warning to anything that might hear.

A chip fell from the shell, and the mother knelt down to try and glimpse her offspring. A flash of color rewarded her attentiveness, but she shot up, puzzled. She briefly considered that her egg had been switched with some other creatures, but knew that it was not possible.

Another crack appeared, and the egg abruptly split apart, revealing fully the young Pokemon within. The Treecko squeaked at her astonished mother and shook her red tail, blinking her golden eyes in the new light. Reflection smiled and bent down to lick her baby's sky blue skin clean.

* * *

Under the cover of dense brush, the young male Treecko that was to soon be the clan's next seer sat nearby as his Grovyle mother tended to her patient. The old raptor seer was ill, and would soon die, but she had named the recently hatched Treecko as her successor before becoming unable to speak.

The tiny male watched in fascination as his mother created a salve that would ease the pressure of the old seer's blind eyes. The ancient Grovyle grunted in thanks and shifted her position on the soft bed of leaves.

Suddenly, the seer's body convulsed, and she let loose a wail of pain that seemed to make even the trees around them jump in surprise. The Grovyle opened her milky white eyes and sat up, seeming to have gained new strength. The Treecko and his mother watched in amazement as she spoke.

"_Rarest of rare  
__Child of the Moon  
__You will wander your life an outcast  
__Loved only by your enemies  
__Forgotten by all but one  
__Traveler, Dark Ocean  
__Aquamarine_"

The Grovyle seer sighed and closed her eyes. She sank down slowly on her bed and died. In a burst of light, her sprit rose from her body; the light hovered over the spot, and suddenly swooped to enter the young male Treecko.

His mother was paralyzed. She repeated the prophecy over and over again in her mind, astonished and frightened by the use of her son's name in the verse. She shuddered, and turned to her offspring.

He looked at her with unnatural intelligence for one so young. She understood that the line of seer knowledge had been passed to him, and sighed. She hadn't asked to have a child with such responsibility weighing on him, but it had happened.

She thought about telling the clan about the prophecy, but somehow she knew that it had been only for her and her son, the new seer; but it still troubled her. All who knew him called her son Dark, but only she knew his full name.

"Dark Ocean."

_Two years later..._

The female Grovyle sat quietly in the bushes, studying the small herd of Mareep wandering the hillside. Her experienced golden eyes picked out the sheep Pokemon who showed signs of lagging or ill health, such as a limp. She found a perfect target instantly, seeing that an old Mareep had a swollen joint on his front leg.

She waited silently while the herd moved ever closer. The old male raised his head to sniff the air, but could smell nothing in the high wind that was blowing his scent right to the predator. He came closer.

The Grovyle shot out of the bushes. The Mareep bleated in terror and ran, but it was already too late. His swollen joint gave out, and he grunted in pain as he collapsed on the grassy plain.

The predator was upon him in an instant, and she cleanly snapped his neck. The Mareep herd mulled about, sparking occasionally in fear, and the Grovyle decided to find a more peaceful place to enjoy her kill. She gripped the dead Pokemon in her sharp teeth and lifted it easily, trotting to the bushes.

Suddenly, another Grovyle emerged from the foliage and snatched the kill right out of her jaws. He sprinted away a few steps, and turned to smirk at the bristling female.

"Hey, freak, thanks for the meal!" he laughed, picking up the Mareep and running towards a dense crowd of trees.

The female shrieked and followed, anger making her red leaves deepen in color. She caught up to the male and slammed into him, making him drop the kill and fall to the ground.

"That's going to get you in a lot of trouble, freak!" screeched the male.

"My name is Aquamarine, you bastard!" she retorted, baring her teeth and raising the leaves on her body.

The male growled and leapt at the sky blue Grovyle, but she merely sidestepped with an infuriating grin. Aquamarine opened her jaws and nipped the male as he passed, creating a small gash. The male yelped in pain, and swung to face her again.

"You're going to pay for that later, after I crush you into the ground!"

Aquamarine laughed, creating a lovely sound; but the laugh was cold also, and made the male suddenly afraid.

"Well, Streamer, I don't think there's any chance of _that_ happening any time soon!" she answered breezily.

She opened her jaws and lunged at the surprised male, almost reaching his throat before he feinted her blow. She growled in annoyance, and sized up her opponent again.

He was looking terrified, which was good. She had hated him ever since she had laid eyes on his arrogant form a year ago, when his father had ran off her mother in a fight for leadership of the clan. They had left her, as the previous Alpha's daughter, in the woods to die; but she had found her way back and won the fight to enter the clan. She had only been a Treecko then, but she was still bigger and stronger than most of the clan combined.

Streamer lunged for her, mistaking her momentary pause for distraction. She easily dodged his advance and slashed his flank in long, bloody gashes. She had actually meant the blow this time, and smiled as she heard his agonized scream.

She was tired of fighting this idiot male, and was done with playing. Aquamarine darted in low, and slashed with long claws and teeth at Streamer's exposed underbelly. He shrieked and staggered away, blood dripping from numerous wounds. He glared, but Aquamarine growled and he sped off.

She sighed and picked up the kill, which was already cold by this time. She dragged it into the dense brush and ate the entire animal, leaving only the indigestible parts and a few, scattered bones. Her hunting wasn't as good as she would like for her skill, and it was all because of her light color.

In all her life, she had been the only Grovyle that was blue. She considered herself beautiful, but the others shunned her, calling her a freak and worse. She had quickly learned to fight for herself and hunt, proving that she was better than all of them, but nothing worked to make the clan accept her.

Sometimes, her beautiful pelt would give off a sparkling radiance when she moved jerkily or jumped, which made it even harder to chase prey, but she didn't mind. She could get over all her problems in the clan but one, Streamer's father, the Alpha male.

Image shunned her and would not let her hunt large prey with the clan, making her a recognized outcast. He was lean and shadowy, making him seem like a mysterious presence. Aquamarine was not fooled by his nature, however, or the way that he presented himself as doing an action for the good of the clan; like when he had banished the clan's Beta's. He was a Mightyena in Mareep skin, that was for sure, and his silky tongue helped him to achieve his power hungry ends.

She sighed and rose from her spot, shaking off the moist dirt that had stuck to her skin. She thought about returning to the clan, but staring at the beauty of the forest around her made her pause in wonder.

The sun was just reaching its peak, and the clan should be resting in the grove of trees that marked the center of their territory. Even though Aquamarine knew that she wouldn't be allowed near the main part of the clan, she loped in its direction.

* * *

Image growled at his whimpering son, who was receiving treatment from one of the nurses of the clan. The Alpha Grovyle was no weakling, but that infuriating female was a constant bother to him and his plans. This development may have given him just the edge that he would need to run her out for good.

He called his guards, two rather menacing looking males, and outlined his plan to them. The larger, Combine, smiled in anticipation, while the younger and smaller of the two, Lemon, looked nervous. Image shook his head in annoyance and nipped Lemon for good measure, and then set off to find the sky blue bitch.

* * *

Aquamarine jumped the stream bubbling through the forest; reveling in the cool water that dusted her flanks as she passed. She looked up and watched the Taillow and Pidgey flit from tree to tree in a marvelous dance, loving every second away from the clan.

Suddenly, the birds went quiet. Aquamarine looked around, confused at the stillness, but understood when Image and two of his toughest bodyguards emerged from the brush. She snarled, low and dangerously, but the three males showed no sign of hearing.

"Well, if it isn't the sky blue _bitch_. You can't come any closer, freak," growled Image.

Aquamarine bristled, raising the leaves on her head and arms till the razor sharp edges gleamed in the sunlight. She bared her teeth and took up a fighting stance.

"That little stunt you did today was dangerous, outsider. I'm banishing you from the clan."

"You have to fight me first, treacherous scum!"

"_That_ will be no problem. If you refuse to leave, I'll be forced to have my friends here make it hard for you to stay, if you know what I mean." said Image, smirking at the female triumphantly.

The Alpha chirped, and the two menacing males bared their teeth and advanced upon Aquamarine, their intent on harming her clear. She dodged the larger of the two and slashed at the other. She knew she had contacted flesh when she heard a scream of pain.

The larger male slashed at her with his claws, catching the side of her neck. She gasped in pain as she felt hot blood running down her chest, but snapped out with her sharp beak and ripped the sinews of the large male's leg, making him fall to the ground with a surprised look on his face.

The younger male who had fallen earlier got to his feet. Aquamarine saw the long gash running down his side, and knew it must be painful for the male to move. He lurched toward her anyway, baring sharp teeth and leaves. She sidestepped with the grace of a Persian and used both her feet and claws to tear into his already wounded side. He screeched in agony, falling to the ground and writhing as the pain took over his body.

Suddenly, Aquamarine was bowled over by a force leaping at her. She looked up to see the large male had leapt for her with his one good leg. She snarled as he bit into her shoulder, and slashed upwards with her claws. The blow was true, and caught his eyes.

The male shot backwards, clawing at his blood filled eyes as he tried to clear them, and Aquamarine staggered to her feet. She was beginning to tire, and knew that she might be forced to retreat if this kept going.

She heard Image growl in anger and impatience, and suddenly he was before her. She snarled and leapt at him, but he feinted and kicked her with a sharply clawed foot. Aquamarine howled in hatred and pain, and whirled, slashing him with her tail blades.

When she turned to look at him, she saw that he had two slashes down his flank; hardly enough to defeat him. He smiled and leapt at her, feet ready to rip into her flesh.

Aquamarine tried to dodge, but the branches of a dead tree blocked her way. She suddenly realized that Image had meant to back her into this spot all along, and she snarled as his crushing weight dropped down on top of her.

Image slashed with all of his limbs, creating deep gashes in Aquamarine's skin. She felt a particularly nasty blow strike one of her legs, cutting into the muscle. She roared and used Mega Drain, sapping Image of enough strength for her to leap free.

She was very tired now, for her injured leg was beginning to go lame and she was at the end of her strength. Image knew it, and smirked at her as her legs trembled with the effort of standing.

"Give up, freak?" he asked.

"I never will, asshole. I'll come back someday, and then you will die," stated Aquamarine as she disappeared, limping yet swift, into the deep brush.

Image grinned and went to look at the wounds of his bodyguards. Soon, his plans would be in motion, and the blue bitch wouldn't be there to stop them.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2: Findings_

Bladed forelimbs flashed in the bright sunlight. The pair of Scyther battled relentlessly, oblivious to the rest of the clan watching patiently at the sidelines. This was a battle for leadership of the entire group, and the loser would be driven off, or even killed, by the victor.

The female Scyther struck at the male's vulnerable joints, but her much faster opponent easily countered the blows. She was beginning to worry, but her defensive moves were still strong. Her opponent, Blade, had been her friend for as long as she could remember, and now she had to fight him. She hadn't meant to have to fight this particular male, but they had both been ecstatic at the chance of being the clan's next leader.

The old leader had disappeared long ago, and the clan had been in turmoil since then, but now they finally had a chance to set it right at the yearly Battle Ceremony. The Battle Ceremony was a test to ensure that only the strongest and most able Scyther were granted leadership, and she and Blade had easily beaten the other challengers to become the last two competing.

Blade struck, his blurred scythe breaking through her defenses and contacting her shoulder. She winced as she felt the exoskeleton split slightly under the razor sharp blade of her friend. She lashed out and managed to surprise her opponent enough to strike his leg.

Blade gasped, his leg collapsing, but did not lose his balance. The female Scyther backed off for a second, giving her friend a chance to regain himself; he deserved that much at least. He looked at her, plainly wondering why she would give up an easy shot at leadership, and steadied himself on one leg.

They resumed the battle. The female fought with a fury rivaling that of a Gyarados, but her opponent blocked all the blows as calmly as an Alakazam. There was to be no mercy now, the fight had already gone on too long. Suddenly, she felt the flat edge of her opponent's blade crack against the side of her head. She fell to the ground, trying to gather her scattered wits, but it was already over. Blade had won.

She looked fearfully up at her tired friend, gasping for breath after the final blow. He looked back at her, realization finally dawning in his eyes.

"You can go as soon as you regain your strength, Slice," he said desolately, avoiding her gaze.

Slice nodded and got to her feet, watching as the new leader led the clan off over the hill. She sighed, not looking forward to the long and lonely years of traveling that was surely ahead of her, and wandered into the foliage.

Suddenly, a flash of cerulean in the leaves caught her attention. She stood at a fighting stance, ready to battle anything that came out of the bushes, though she was clearly in no state to win. She stood, tense and ready, as the creature emerged from cover.

* * *

Aquamarine cautiously stepped forward; although she was certain that the Scyther before her was in no state to fight. Every step weighed on her tired body, and she suddenly realized that she wasn't in good shape either. She almost laughed despite the looming danger.

The Scyther studied her with cold, calculating precision, just as she did the same to the other Pokemon. It was female, and looked to have just been in a major battle, probably the fight for leadership if the Scyther's apparent solitary vestige was any indication. Aquamarine hissed a warning if any others were present, just in case.

The Scyther returned the hiss, but looked suddenly surprised when Aquamarine's lame leg finally gave out. The blue Grovyle fell to the ground in a bloody heap, growling in agitation.

"What happened to you?" asked the Scyther worriedly.

"Fight...banished..." muttered Aquamarine, trying to rise but failing miserably.

The bug Pokemon sighed.

"Looks like we're in the same boat. I'm Slice, who are you?"

"My name is Aquamarine," murmured the Grovyle.

"Good, I'll go to find some herbs that will help both our wounds. You stay here until I get back."

"Like I'm going anywhere..." sighed Aquamarine bitterly.

The Scyther disappeared into the undergrowth, and Aquamarine was left to brood over her recent defeat. She was no pushover; she would come back and get her revenge on that bastard and his lackeys sooner than later.

The gash in her leg throbbed with a pulsing pain, and she grit her teeth to keep from crying out. She wondered why a Scyther, of all Pokemon, would venture to help her. Scyther hated all of Grovyle kind, and both species never missed a chance to show it. This Scyther seemed different, more open to change; Aquamarine decided that she would trust this particular Pokemon for the time being.

* * *

When Aquamarine woke, a thick green salve had already been spread over the open gashes, and the pain was receding with each passing moment. She gazed upward, and saw that the Scyther, Slice, was resting at the edge of the small clearing they were in, watching for danger.

The Grovyle tried to rise again, and Slice glanced over at the noise. The bug sighed, and motioned for Aquamarine to lie back down.

"You shouldn't try to rise, not until that nasty wound begins to heal."

"Yes, but you should rest as well."

"I'm a lot sturdier than I might seem. I can last the night." laughed Slice, amused at the Grovyle's concern.

"I'm also a lot more resilient than I seem. The wound will almost be healed by now; with the salve on it."

The Scyther gave Aquamarine a sidelong glance, but said nothing. The blue Grovyle struggled upright, knowing what she said was true. Slice looked almost surprised when she saw the plant Pokemon was beside her.

"It seems that what you say is true, friend."

Aquamarine was taken aback. No member of the clan had ever called her friend before, and now a complete stranger had. She puzzled over it.

"Tell me how you came to be here, Aquamarine."

The Grovyle sighed and told of all her life, beginning with as far back as she could remember to the terrible fight she had recently endured. She shuddered at some of the tale, reluctant to return to the memories, but too caught up in the story to keep them out. She was glad to finally have someone to tell her history to. When she had finished, Slice nodded solemnly and began her tale.

The Scyther had a normal life for one of her kind; constant battling, a few good friends, and the dream of becoming the clan leader someday. She had always had her greatest adventures with her best friend, Blade.

When the chance to become clan leader had appeared, she took the chance. Slice told of how surprised she was to find that all challengers but Blade had been beaten, and that she had to fight him. Aquamarine listened raptly as the fight was retold in detail, and tried to imagine how hard it would be to fight someone you had known and loved all your life. She couldn't.

The tale finished, and both friends stared into the now brightening light of morning. Aquamarine's wounds no longer constantly pained her, though they were still quite tender, and Slice announced herself ready for travel. Aquamarine also felt that she was well enough to take her leave, and she walked over to say goodbye to the Scyther.

"Thank you, Slice, for helping me. I'm afraid the time has come to go our separate ways, but it was nice to have a friend for at least a short while."

The bug Pokemon gave her that disbelieving sidelong glance once more, and smiled.

"You don't think you're going to travel alone with that wound still healing, do you?"

Aquamarine stared blankly, then suddenly understood.

"You have a point. It would probably be better if we stuck together. It would at the very least be less boring."

"Yes, which direction do you want to go?"

"South, I think. To the Great Storm."

* * *

Dark stared at the Alpha with nothing short of malice. That ungainly fool had gathered the entire clan, at feeding time, no less, just to announce that he had banished yet _another_ member of the clan. The impressive male Grovyle growled his displeasure, but the others around him just ignored it.

He was the clan's seer, but he would have been banished long ago had he not held that title. He made his hatred of Image clear to all, even to the Alpha himself. Dark barely listened to what the Alpha had to say, until a name pierced his wandering thoughts.

"The blue menace, _Aquamarine_... has been driven from the clan. I myself made sure that she has left for good, and will not return. Now, we can all be safe from her malicious ways!" Image announced with obvious pleasure.

'_Aquamarine_?' thought Dark 'why was she banished? I have _never_ known her to have done anything wrong!' He voiced his question aloud.

"What has the blue one done that has warranted such a vicious removal?"

Image looked Dark's way, an unmistakably malevolent look on his face. He started to snarl, but managed to regain his composure before his anger got out of hand. If anyone saw, they did not voice their observation.

"Well, _seer_," he said, his sarcastic tone plain to all, "she had injured my son in a particularly nasty battle."

"But battles are common, why was this different?"

"I will no longer allow battling! It is wrong for a creature so much more intelligent, and stronger, than other species. Battling will result in serious punishment by my guards from now on!" Image called out to the entire clan.

There was a murmur of unrest; battling helped strengthen the clan and weed out the weaker members. To abolish battling meant weakening the entire population.

'So _this_ is what he's planning!' thought Dark quickly, 'He wants to rule over the clan with no rivals!'

Dark mulled in the turbulence of the clan, wondering what he could do. He didn't know of anything _he_ could do, but suddenly, an intriguing thought entered his head.

Aquamarine! He would seek out the rightful Alpha and get her to challenge Image for leadership. Image would have no choice but to fight! Dark had no present idea where the blue female would be, though, so he just told himself that he would follow his instincts. Hopefully, fate would lead him on the right trail.

When the clan gone to the trees to sleep for the night, Dark quietly climbed down to the ground and slipped into the darkness. He headed south, for he knew deep down that the elusive blue female would head in that direction. He only hoped that she was still alive...


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3: Failed Attempts_

The bedraggled Breloom cried out in pain. Her leg twisted horribly in the steel edged wire, but thankfully, didn't break. The leg was bleeding badly now, blood flowing over the silver wire to be washed away by the constant rain that made this area a near swamp. Only the toughest of plants and Pokemon could survive here, and even those found life difficult.

She muffled a scream when the wire tightened again, cutting deeper into her flesh. Screaming would only bring predators, and she didn't need that right now. She gingerly chewed at the thick cable, but her beak was nowhere near sharp enough to break through it to free her.

She tried using her powerful arms to punch the peg that held her out of the ground, but only succeeded in driving it deeper, making the wire tighten. She felt a new, agonizing wave of pain, and knew that the trap had cut quite deep now. She shifted her weight and almost yelped when she realized that the bunching of muscles made the wire cut even more.

Suddenly, there was a rustling in the bushes, and the Breloom caught sight of a form moving behind them. She tensed; ready for anything that might emerge, but cried out in despair when she saw the Grovyle and Scyther slash their way through the thick foliage.

The Breloom scrambled to the end of the wire, wincing at the pain, but not caring. She saw the Grovyle look her way, an amused look on its face, before the fighting Pokemon fell to the ground when her leg buckled.

So much pain engulfed her that she almost blacked out. She was sure that her beaten leg had finally broken, and she closed her eyes in final defeat. She waited for the killing stroke that she was sure would come, but opened her eyes after a few moments.

The Grovyle was digging out the peg! Soon, the wooden stake was out of the wet ground, and the wire suddenly loosened from the exhausted Breloom's limb. She sighed, but realized that the trap was still wrapped around her leg; she twisted around to remove it.

When the wire was finally off, the wound bled more profusely than ever, welling up so that the rain could not wash it away fast enough. The Breloom squeaked in alarm, but suddenly the Scyther was beside her, spreading a thick salve over the deep wound. When the bug Pokemon was finished, the bleeding had stopped, and there were enough plants around to provide a suitable bandage.

The Breloom nodded in thanks, but suddenly her tiredness was overwhelming, and she could keep off sleep no longer. She lowered her head and fell into a deep slumber where she lay.

Rain poured down from the dark sky, drenching Dark to the bone from the moment he stepped into the Great Storm. Lightning flashed in the clouds, illuminating everything around him for a brief second. He shook the water off his skin, only to be immediately drenched again.

* * *

Dark sighed, why would Aquamarine _ever_ be in this place? He had found no food for at least a day now, and he was becoming extremely hungry. Suddenly, the Grovyle spotted a swift shape in the underbrush, and he pounced after the Linoone. The frightened Pokemon dashed off into the thick foliage, and Dark followed. He snapped his formidable jaws down when he was close to the fleeing rodent, but realized that the normal Pokemon had dodged out of the way and was too far ahead to catch now.

Annoyed, the male Grovyle hissed at the rapidly dwindling figure and loped to a swiftly surging stream running between two thick copses of trees. As he lapped up the cool water, he saw a slowly drifting fish begin to pass by. He shot out his claws, spearing the struggling Pokemon and bringing it to the surface. The Feebas tried to escape, but could do little more than splash.

Dark swiftly killed the fish, and brought it up onto a bank to feed. Soon, only the thick bones remained. Suddenly, he noticed a print in the wet mud that had been sheltered by an overhanging leaf. It was a Grovyle print, and the faint scent around it clued that the Pokemon was female.

Dark's hope soared; there may yet be a chance to save the clan. Refreshed by his meal, he stood and followed the direction of the marks into the shadowed trees. Soon, the only clue to show that he had been there were a pile of waterlogged bones.

In the darkness, twin reflections shown bright by the flashing lightning. A dark form slid cautiously out of cover, shivering at the dense rain, and gently nosed the bones. The creature smiled, showing sharp fangs, and loped off on the trail of the male Grovyle.

* * *

Aquamarine woke tothe sound of the dull crashing of machinery. She shot up, aware that something was very wrong. The Great Storm had dwindled in the night, and now only the tiniest amount of drizzle fell in the dim light of morning.

The source of the sound roared into sight, and Aquamarine almost froze in fear. She woke Slice and the nameless Breloom, urging them to be quiet and hide, but the truck had already caught sight of them.

There was a sharp report, burning in Aquamarine's ears and making her cringe. She looked to her friends only to find that Slice had a long needle embedded in her shoulder. The Scyther flicked it off, but her movements were decidedly sluggish, and soon she fell to the ground, fast asleep.

Another sharp report echoed through the forest, and the Breloom cried out as she shook off another of the darts. Aquamarine watched in horror as she, too, fell, and then the female Grovyle was harshly brought back to reality as another dart whizzed past her, missing her flank by millimeters.

Aquamarine turned and fled, using all her agility to escape the truck she was sure would soon be roaring after her. When nothing appeared, she finally stopped, exhausted for the moment. Looking back, she could see nothing through the dark brush. The blue Grovyle hesitated, then, as if she had come to a difficult decision, crept to where the three had made camp the previous day.

The truck had pulled alongside the two sleeping Pokemon, and a pair of humans emerged. Aquamarine had never seen a human before, and they puzzled her; they had no claws, fangs, or spines, yet they were the most feared species on the planet. She didn't spend long wondering why, for she had just gotten the answer, but her friends were in trouble, and she must help them.

The men opened caged that were attached to the back of the truck, using their nimble thumbs to open the locks. They then lifted the still sleeping forms of her friends and put one in each cage, closing and locking the barred doors after. Aquamarine was just close enough to hear their conversation.

"Argh, too bad we didn't get the Shiny Grovyle, she would have been a prize for the zoo!"

"Yeah, but now we know that there's one here, and it won't take long for another patrol to bring her in."

"Would be better if _we_ bring her in!"

"We still might! These are the first captures of the day, so we can come back and search!"

"Good enough... Hey! It looks like the Breloom was caught in a trap lately!"

"Damn poachers," muttered the other man.

"Well, we'll get her in as fast as we can, right Andy?"

The other man just grunted, and the first left it at that. They loaded into the truck and began to drive away, but the mud slowed their progress. Aquamarine easily kept up with the pace as she followed. Soon, they burst into sunlight, out of the Great Storm at last.

The truck began to speed up, and Aquamarine found herself having trouble keeping pace. She kept doggedly on, even though the truck was rapidly distancing itself from her. Soon, she lost sight of it altogether and had to rely on her keen sense of smell to track it.

She was forced to keep close to the road to be able to track properly, and this made her nervous. Humans always kept close to roads, and she didn't particularly want to meet one. She heard a sudden noise, and sighed; so much for hoping against the inevitable.

The human took a red and white ball out of his pocket, shouting as he threw it. Aquamarine took up a fighting stance and waited for the confrontation, hoping against all odds that her leg was healed enough for this battle.

A blast of red light engulfed the road, and Aquamarine saw the long form of a Wingull fly above her. She growled and kept her eye on it, for this particular pokemon was both strong and weak against her type at the same time.

"Wingull, Quick Attack!" yelled the trainer.

The bird swooped down towards Aquamarine at blinding speed, leaving a dust trail behind it. She was ready for this move, though, and she waited until the Wingull got too close to change direction and sidestepped. The bird went shooting past, shrieking its fury as it tried to turn for another pass.

"Wingull, use Wing Attack!" shouted the trainer over the bird's cawing.

The Wingull managed to turn at high speed and raced towards the Grovyle, wings glowing as it prepared its attack. Aquamarine easily dodged it again, enjoying the challenge, and decided to try out an attack of her own. She waited until the Wingull turned, trying to make a pass at her again.

She grinned at the bird as it realized its mistake and tried to roll out of the way. Aquamarine slashed with the leafs of her forearms; slicing the Wingull's sides and making it fall to the ground. She leapt on top of it, ready to deal the killing blow, but was surprised to find only insubstantial red light beneath her feet.

She glared at the trainer, annoyed by the battle and the loss of her meal. The boy looked worried, and she bared her teeth to make him even more nervous. He carefully walked to the far side of the road and waited for her to pass, looking petrified. Aquamarine smiled and walked down the road, pleased at beating the trainer's Pokemon so easily.

She trotted down the street, on the trail of the truck once again. The scenery here was beautiful, and she frequently considered stopping to enjoy the view, but the thought of her friends kept her at a steady pace all evening. She finally came to twin gates with human writing scrawled at the top. She read it carefully, for she was not fully fluent in Human.

'Safari Zone Zoo' was printed in large yellow letters on a forest green sign. Aquamarine studied the bars of the gate, and found a place near the hinge where she might be able to squeeze through. As she entered the Zoo, she carefully watched all of the cages, noting what species were residing in each one.

The foremost cage held a rather large herd of Donphan, and Aquamarine looked hungrily at the uneasily milling group of elephant Pokemon before moving on. It wasn't long before she found the cage of Scyther, but to her horror, Slice was not among them. She approached the cage warily, ready for anything.

"What business does the enemy of our kind have here, on our ground?" came a hissing voice from inside.

"I ask for information, nothing more." said Aquamarine.

"What information do you want?" asked the voice, coming into the light to reveal an older, but still strong, Scyther.

"I inquire about a Scyther, a female Scyther who just came here."

"She came, yes, but the humans took her away after we refused to let her enter the clan."

"Where is she _now_?" asked Aquamarine, showing a slight indication of anger in her voice.

The old Scyther grinned, showing still sharp teeth, and shook his head.

"Manners, outsider, manners. I know not where this female resides, but I have a clue that she may be in the Breloom cage. Go, and leave us in peace." he turned and stepped into the shadows, leaving Aquamarine standing at the cage front in silence.

She turned abruptly and followed her keen sense of smell until she reached the Breloom cage. As she peered in, she could just make out the forms of several Breloom and a Scyther at the other end of the enclosure.

"Slice," she called, "are you there?"

"Aquamarine?" came the reply, "Where have you been? Powder and I have been here forever!"

"Powder?" asked Aquamarine, puzzled.

"That would be me," said the Breloom beside Slice.

"Oh, I never got your name, sorry."

"It's okay, I didn't know your name until Slice told me."

"Where's the lock on the cage?"

"It's near the back, in the building..."

Aquamarine sighed, knowing that she would probably need outside help to get into the building. She went around to the doors, and though the lock was easy to get off, she could see that the security system was on at full blast. She didn't know much about security systems, but she decided to give it a shot. She carefully walked through the door, stepping over the barely distinguishable lines that marked where the alarms would be triggered, and made her way to the cage door.

Luckily, the cage was right next to the entrance of the building, and she could easily get to it, but the locked gate was extremely complicated. Aquamarine tried to unlock it, but as soon as she touched the catch, the alarm went off. She sped through the door; not caring about the alarm triggers anymore, and dashed to the main gates of the Zoo. After squeezing through, she looked back to see the lights just beginning to turn on in the main buildings.

She looked out into the darkness, cursing her luck. She definitely needed to find help now...


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Element Escape

Dark followed the faint trail until late at night, when it disappeared among scents of exhaust from a truck. He snarled, annoyed that he had spent so much time on a dead end. He continued in the direction of the truck, hoping to find _something_ he could use.

The wall of rain dissipated as he came to the edges of the Great Storm. He gladly walked out of the damp, relieved at an end to the rain. The trail of the truck was clear now, and he could also smell the scent of a Grovyle following it. He smiled to himself, glad that he had uncovered the trail, and loped onward into the darkness.

Behind him, hidden in the murk of the storm, a gem flashed as a dark creature followed a different trail. It shook off the water on it coat disdainfully as it emerged from the rain, sending a spray of wetness across the already damp soil. It stopped, in no apparent hurry, to groom it luxurious fur before finally jogging along the road in search of its chosen prey.

* * *

Aquamarine jogged down a faint path in the underbrush, thinking furiously. She knew that she had to free her friends, but she was puzzled at exactly _how_ she could. The path widened and smoothed suddenly, revealing a set of tracks in the damp mud. The Grovyle stared curiously at the prints, wondering at the size of the claws, but looked up when she heard the leaves rustle in the bushes across the trail.

She found herself staring at a large, white, mongoose-like creature. The Pokemon had red stripes slashing down its face and torso, and its claws were wickedly curved. It looked at Aquamarine in surprise, freezing in place as both Pokemon studied each other.

"What are you?" asked Aquamarine.

"I'm a Zangoose, what are you?" said the Pokemon as she cleaned the dirt from her fur.

"I'm a Grovyle."

"Well met." said the Zangoose, nodding her head, "My name is Quicksilver."

"I'm Aquamarine"

"Well, this path will take you to Lilycove City if you continue. I made it myself," said the Zangoose, preening with pride.

"Thank you, I'm sure I can use it later."

"Why later?" asked Quicksilver, looking at Aquamarine curiously.

"Well, I-"

Suddenly, a large, black, snake-like Pokemon burst from the bushes. It hissed at Quicksilver, making the Zangoose jump back in surprise, and looked sidelong at Aquamarine.

"Is this vile creature bothering you, my lady?" it said, still hissing at the Zangoose.

Quicksilver growled and brandished her gleaming claws, fur rising on the nape of her neck. Aquamarine knew that she must do something to stop this, or a fight would be sure to follow.

"No, we were just talking." she said quickly.

"Talking? With a Zangoose?" asked the ebony snake, looking profoundly puzzled.

"Yes, she was." hissed Quicksilver.

The two Pokemon squared off again, glaring menacingly as each prepared for battle.

"What are you, anyway?" asked Aquamarine, looking at the snake.

"I'm a Seviper, and Zangoose are the scourge of my people," answered the Seviper, seeming very chastened that his help was not accepted.

"Why?"

"Umm..." stuttered the Seviper, looking unsure of the answer.

"I can answer that," said Quicksilver, beginning to relax, "there's been an ongoing feud between the two species for centuries. No one can remember what started it anymore."

"Well, it's a useless battle, then, isn't it?" stated Aquamarine matter-of-factly.

"_I_ certainly think so, though the feud has been going on so long, it's an instinct now," said Quicksilver.

"Well, what _was_ bothering you, umm-?"

"Aquamarine."

"Thank you. What was bothering you, Aquamarine?" finished the Seviper.

"My friends have been captured, and they're imprisoned in the Zoo!" blurted the blue Grovyle, relieved to have finally gotten to the point.

"Really? Couldn't you just sneak in there and unlock the doors?" asked Quicksilver.

"No, there's a security system, and an alarm went off when I touched it the lock."

"Security system, you say? Well, I'm pretty good at breaking into security systems. I can help!" exclaimed the Seviper, perking up a little.

"Are you sure? That would be a great favor," said Aquamarine.

"I don't trust this. I'm going with you," stated Quicksilver, looking around suspiciously.

"Fine, where is the Zoo?" asked the Seviper.

"It's this way," said Aquamarine. As she started to walk back down the path, she turned to make sure the others were coming, "by the way, what's your name?"

"My name is Mercury."

* * *

Dark came to a stop. The road here was scuffed with many different scents, all mingled together in a confusing mess. He could smell the scent of human, as well as Wingull. He groaned inwardly, thinking that Aquamarine must have been captured, but his heart leapt when he scented her trail moving down the road again.

Suddenly, he saw twin lights moving down the road at him. He only had a moment to think that was pervaded with a loud honking before the thing was upon him. He tried to leap away, but a crushing force rammed into him and sent him flying, broken and in agony, to the side of the road. He rolled along the ground, stopping in a dark, wet ditch. He faintly heard the sound of squealing tires and doors slamming before he was enveloped in darkness, releasing him from the pain of the collision.

The dark form in the woods watched coldly as the Grovyle was loaded into the truck. It sighed as the vehicle revved up and began to move away; down the road to a place the figure knew well. The creature stood and stretched, yawning and showing its needle-sharp teeth, before it trotted calmly down the side of the road.

* * *

Aquamarine and her two cohorts snuck quietly through the gates to the Zoo. Mercury separated from the group to disarm the system, moving silently through the shadows, and the others went into the building to open the door once he was finished.

"I don't trust him," mumbled Quicksilver as she watched for movement out the door.

"Whom can you trust?" asked Aquamarine softly as she checked the cage door again.

"You, for one."

"I'll give you that... Oh, the door's open!" exclaimed the Grovyle as she saw the red light on the door blink out of existence.

She and Quicksilver hurriedly picked the lock, releasing all of the Breloom and Slice. When Aquamarine's friends were out, all three went to search for the helpful Seviper. As they walked slowly through the rows of cages, Mercury suddenly materialized from the shadows before them.

"Hey guys! Come on, let's get out of here before we're caught!"

The reformed group sped towards the entrance, but when they came within sight of the gate, twin headlights stopped them in their tracks. They hid in the deep shadow behind a shed.

The truck stopped before the gate, and the doors slammed as the same humans who had captured Aquamarine's friends stepped out. The younger of the two punched some numbers into a consol on the gate, but it didn't open.

"It's dead!" he exclaimed.

"What're ya talking about? It was working fine when we left!"

"Well it's not now!" said the man as he slid the door open, "There must have been a power outage."

"Just hurry up, this Grovyle here needs treatment!" grumbled the older of the two as he jumped in the truck again.

'Grovyle?' thought Aquamarine, 'What Grovyle?'

The truck sped through the manually opened gate, and Aquamarine glimpsed a still form lying in the back among the sacks of food. She thought she recognized the Pokemon, but the truck was going too fast to be sure.

"Come on, let's get going before they come back!"

"Yeah..." said Aquamarine as she slipped noiselessly through the still open gate.

* * *

The lithe form slunk through the darkness, trotting silently on its padded feet. It had come to the twin gates of the Zoo, and it shuddered as it scented that the truck had gone inside. Suddenly, it noticed a different trail, a fresher trail.

There were traces of many different Pokemon, but the scent that caught the dark figure more was that of a Breloom, its natural, and largest, prey. It licked its chops, thinking of the wonderful meal that was sure to await it if it followed, and turned from the Zoos confines. The footprints here were very fresh; it would only be a matter of time before it caught its food.

* * *

Dark came to consciousness slowly. At first, he was confused at where he was, and then the pain started in. He groaned as he felt at least one broken rib throbbing in his side, and when he tried to move, he found another broken bone in his leg.

He stuck to lying still, looking around his field of vision curiously at the shiny white and silver floors and shelves. He could just barely see the door out of the corner of his eye, and as he watched it swung slowly open. A human came in the room, and Dark growled faintly.

"Hey, there," said the human "are you feeling any better?"

Dark just glared at the man with his eyes flaming disgust.

"Okay, I get it. We _will_ let you go later, you know, we just can't while you have all these injuries. You were hit by a truck, big guy," the man said softly.

Dark sighed; at least they were helping him. He muttered quietly and closed his eyes as the human left, closing the door behind him. Things had definitely taken a turn for the worst.

* * *

Aquamarine and her friends walked slowly through the faint trail, following Quicksilver. The Zangoose moved noiselessly through the thick brush, stopping occasionally to let the others catch up. They were all very tired, and needed to find a place to rest soon; most of them would collapse from exhaustion of they couldn't.

Soon, they came to a treeless dell. Quicksilver announced it as a safe haven, and the group lay down in the center. Slice, Powder, and Mercury were soon asleep, but Aquamarine and Quicksilver stood watch together. Before long, Aquamarine could hear the soft snoring of the Zangoose breaking the relative silence.

As the Grovyle stared into the dark night, drowsiness began to overtake her. She looked up at the stars, and saw that there seemed to be more than usual. She realized dimly that the stars were drifting slowly, and then that the stars were not stars but dust. She grasped what it was just before she fell to the ground, fast asleep.

In the bushes around the clearing, many pairs of faintly glowing red eyes came into the light. They wrapped their vines around the sleeping forms of the Pokemon, and dragged their captives into the waiting shadows.

* * *

"Well, big guy, I have good news!" said the man as he moved Dark from the critical care room, "The new healing technology just came in, so you're not going to have to be here as long as we thought!"

Dark chirped gladly, wishing he could be healed faster than it was taking. The last few hours had been complete agony for him, and the thought of a few weeks with those injuries made him feel sick.

He was wheeled into a dim room, a contrast to the brightly lit care units. He could see a large machine sitting in the center, and a control panel rested against the wall. The man brought him to the huge machine, and Dark could see an entrance into it. The injured Grovyle was place into the machine, and the door was closed after the man left.

Dark could hear human voices echoing metallically through the system, and he saw the lights on the mechanism illuminate as it powered up. A warning sound resonated throughout the chamber as the machine reached full power.

A blinding red light washed over the Grovyle, and he cried out as a few seconds of searing pain hit him full force. The intense pain stopped almost as soon as it had started, and Dark lifted his head curiously. The pain in his leg and ribs seemed to have disappeared, so he gingerly stepped off the table. Amazingly, nothing seemed to be wrong, only a rapidly fading ache remained of his wounds.

The door opened slowly, and the man peered around the edge. Dark watched quietly, waiting for the human to release him.

"We're going to let you go now, but you have to follow us until you're out of the Zoo; otherwise you'll probably get lost. If you don't agree, we'll be forced to tranquilize you."

Dark considered the options and nodded curtly, walking to the man as tamely as he could. The man smiled and led him out, where he saw the other Zoo workers watching cautiously from a distance. They walked down the hallway, and soon came to large double doors leading outside.

The sun seemed unnaturally bright after the darkness of the building, and Dark had to blink his eyes many times before they adjusted. The man paused until the Grovyle could get his bearings, and then continued at a brisk walk.

Dark looked all around the Zoo, staring in wonder at the many species in the numerous cages. He wondered why they looked so happy with their lives, but a stray scent stopped him in his tracks.

"What's wrong?" asked the man, halting to look back at the Grovyle, "What have you found?"

Dark lowered his head and shook slightly, though there was no water or dust on his skin. He looked innocently at the man, who sighed and continued on. Dark smiled to himself; Aquamarine had been here...


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Backtracked Visions

Aquamarine woke to darkness. She sat up and looked slowly around her, noting the glowing eyes of creatures about her. She suddenly saw the thick tree roots forming a cage circling her and her friends.

Slice stirred beside her, and Aquamarine helped the dazed Scyther to rise. The rest of the Pokemon in the cage began to wake soon after. Many pairs of red, glowing eyes watched the movement without expression, unnerving the Grovyle.

When all in the cage had regained their senses, a horrible screeching started beyond the bars. Aquamarine cringed from the sound, as did many of the others in the cage. The moon shone from behind a thick cloud, and the captives were granted a clear glimpse of their captors.

The screeching stopped abruptly, leaving the surrounding area deathly quiet. There was a soft movement in the midst of the red-eyed Plant Pokemon, the only shift that any one of the creatures had yet made. The Victreebel stepped into the bright moonlight, and the sight made the group gasp.

The Plant Pokemon before them was a normal Victreebel, with one difference. A long, ugly, jagged scar ran down his side, marring his otherwise perfect features. The other Victreebel moved aside as he passed, suggesting that he was an important figure to best be respected.

"I am the leader of this hoard, and you have intruded upon our hunting grounds. Normally, I would have let you pass, but I recognize one among you," stated the scarred one.

"Who?" asked Aquamarine as she looked around the cage.

"The Scyther, because of an incident far in the past when I was but a Bellsprout."

Slice jolted beside Aquamarine, recognition dawning in her eyes. The Grovyle looked slowly at her friend, who came forward towards the bars.

"I know you now; I remember what happened."

"Good, I have waited long to hear your version of the tale, and now you will tell it," said the Victreebel.

"Your request is reasonable," said Slice, "I will tell the tale."

"Begin."

* * *

_"Blade, aren't we too close to the territory boundaries?"_

_"Aw, don't be a coward, Slice! We're miles away from the borders!" teased Blade as he blocked a blow aimed at his leg._

_The pair mock battled across the field, their clumsy strikes echoing through the still evening. Suddenly, Slice's foot fell through a hole in the ground, lurching her off balance and throwing her to the dirt. The young Scyther squealed in pain as her ankle twisted, and she flailed out to steady herself against the ground. _

_Slice abruptly stopped flailing as she felt a bladed forelimb connect with something. She carefully got to her feet despite the pain, and she looked in the thick clump of grass she had cleaved in two._

_She and Blade drew in their breath simultaneously. Lying motionless in the turf was a small Bellsprout, it's head split from the side almost to the large mouth. Amazingly, the small Pokemon stirred, groaning as the pain hit it. It opened its small, obsidian-black eyes and looked in terror at the two startled youngsters._

_"Oh, no," moaned Slice, "It's hurt. We have to help it!" _

_Blade took up the small creature in his bladed arms, taking great care not to injure it. The two friends looked about themselves, and suddenly realized that they didn't recognize the land anywhere around them._

_"We went beyond the boundaries..." gasped Slice as she looked frantically for something familiar._

_"There's nothing we can do about that right now, but this Bellsprout needs treatment right away," said Blade._

_As Slice looked around them, she suddenly saw something that would help._

_"Look, this plant's berries can speed healing! We can help the Bellsprout that way!"_

_She picked the ripe berries quickly and fed them to the ailing Pokemon. The tiny Bellsprout started to look better, but not by much. Slice saw a different type of berry, and went to take a look at them._

_"These are Lum berries, they should fuse and heal the cut easily. Those over there are Ipapa berries, and they should help him to regain his strength."_

_She gave these new berries to the Bellsprout, and the gash came together and fused before their eyes, forming a long, ugly scar. The Bellsprout looked much stronger after eating, and they apologized to the tiny creature, although it didn't seem to understand them. Blade set it down on the grass and it ran off in a wavering path, murmuring to itself. _

_The two Scyther watched as it disappeared in the tall grass. Slice sighed, and Blade looked around at the tall trees. _

_"We're still lost." stated Slice._

_"Umm... yes, we are." sighed Blade._

_Suddenly, they heard a noise behind them. The two whirled around, and came face to face with the leader of their clan. The older male smiled at the young Scyther, remembering when he was also youthful and reckless._

_"You two got yourselves lost again, didn't you?"_

_Blade and Slice nodded._

_"What am I going to do with you?" sighed the clan leader, grinning at them, he pointed to the path he had cut through the brush, "The clan's that way, your mothers are going to be very angry... again."_

_Everyone grimaced at the thought; the two young Scyther because of the punishment they would receive, and the leader because he would be scolded just as much as the children._

_The group left the knot of trees, heading for the clan's territory. The old leader would occasionally swipe at a leaf or twig, half play, half practice for the coming Battle Ceremony. He sighed and looked at the two snickering shadows behind him._

_"You two will make fine clan leaders someday, I'm sure of that," he mumbled to himself._

_"What?" asked Slice, who had been a little more alert than Blade._

_"Nothing." said the leader quickly as they continued on through the fields.

* * *

_

"A fine tale, and the truth." said the Victreebel, rubbing a leaf reflectively down the scar on his belly, "I admit, that last berry you fed me was so sour it confused me, but after my head cleared I realized that you could have just left me to die. I have to thank you for saving my life, and I want you to know that I don't blame you for the incident."

"That's good to know," said Slice.

"This scar," said the leader, "has earned me the nickname Slash. I've had it for so long that I can no longer remember my real name, but it doesn't bother me anymore..."

"This is all well and good," interrupted Quicksilver hotly, "but can we get out of this cage? Can you explain why we're here in the first place?"

Slash shifted his gaze to the Zangoose, who stood defiantly in the middle of the cage. He smiled, displaying the large fangs at the lip of his mouth, and signaled that the cage be opened.

"A good point, now that we are sure that there is no ill will between us." he said, "Answering your other question; we brought you here because we felt that we must warn you."

"Warn us?" asked Aquamarine.

"Yes, shining one; _you_ especially. Victreebel... are people of the stars. We predict events based on the cosmic alignments, and we have foreseen great danger around you."

"_Me_?"

"Yes," answered Slash, he turned and beckoned a smaller plant Pokemon forward, "This is our seer, Nayoi. She will tell what she has seen."

The small Victreebel hopped to the front of the crowd, a strange mist beginning to enter her eyes and reflecting the stars.

"_Powers are building  
__Visions will clash  
__The image of peril is rising  
__The shining one comes forth  
__Oppose the evil forces  
__Follow the Ocean  
__The... the..."_

Nayoi broke off, looking at Slash fearfully, "I can't see the rest, sir, I... I really can't. It's so clouded... the stars turn dark."

"This isn't good, not at all," muttered Slash, he turned to Aquamarine, "The powers are rising to the east, and tensions have become unbearable. The clans of your species have declared open aggression, and the prophecy stated that you have a role in calming this."

"I never thought I would be in a prophecy."

"_I_ never thought I would be allied with the enemy. Only _you_ can do this, shining one. Go swiftly, for danger follows on your trail, and unpredictable forces are at work..."

The gathering parted, and it was clear that the Victreebel leader would say no more for the evening. Aquamarine and the others walked slowly down the path created, watched mercilessly by the glowing eyes of the plant Pokemon until they disappeared into the thick brush of the jungle.

* * *

Dark walked doggedly on, his weariness threatening to overtake him. Just hours ago he had been wide-awake and on the trail of Aquamarine, but her scent seemed to have disappeared into the thick mist appearing all around him.

The Grovyle stopped suddenly and fell to the ground, sleeping deeply while the haze closed in on his still form. As it drew about him, he lifted his head and gave an agonized squeal of rage.

* * *

_The Grovyle stood on a dark patch of grass in the middle of empty space. This was nothing new to him, he had had visions before, but something about this bothered him._

_"Dark, come closer..."_

_Suddenly, he was speeding to the edge of space; careening around stars like they were nothing but pebbles. The square of grass halted before a great planet, almost sending him flying into nothingness, but he managed to keep his grip._

_"Seer, it has been long since we met..."_

_"Yes, my lord, it has," answered Dark as he stared at the wizened Sceptile before him._

_"You have begun a quest, I see,"_

_"Yes, my lord,"_

_The old Sceptile sighed, waving a claw at Dark in exasperation._

_"Dark, I have told you many times to refer to me as Vision; it is my true name. Cut the 'my lord' crap already!" _

_"Fine, I just thought it might be better for me to be a **little** formal in addressing the great seer!" snapped Dark, his anger building._

_The Sceptile shrugged and snuffed the illusion of Stars into oblivion. Blank darkness now lay before the two._

_"You must learn to control your anger, my friend; it will only bring you trouble in the future. Especially now, when the world is in peril..."_

_"Peril? What do you mean?" asked Dark._

_"Powers are rising, my friend, and the fate of the land is in your claws. I am not sure of he outcome of this battle, but I know that it can only be won with your help."_

_"Why me?"_

_"You cannot question the great powers, they do what they will; you can only heed their warnings and follow their clues. Why and how it turns out in the end, only they know..."_

_"What advice can you give me, Vision?"_

_The darkness began to fade, and as Dark looked on, so did the old seer. He tried to follow, but the boundaries of the grass were as far as he could go._

_"I can only give you this, my student; continue on your quest, find the gem, and bring her home..."_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: New Allies, Old Enemies

Dark woke with a start, the mist rolling away as he looked around him. He heaved up from the ground with an effort, still groggy from the sleep powder covering the soil. His weaker leg crumpled under him, and he growled in frustration.

As soon as he was able to steady himself, he sniffed the air for any signs of the trail. There was nothing on the wind but the faint, salty smell of a large body of water. Dark loped off in its direction; and soon he could hear the faint noises of the ocean.

The vegetation started to become coarse and sparse, and patches of fine sand began appearing here and there; still there was no sign of the water. Suddenly, the ground opened up and Dark found himself at the edge of a steep cliff.

He chirped in alarm as his good foot began to slip; his other leg buckled under the strain and he began to slide over the lethal drop. His claws scrabbled on the rock, but all he could do was watch helplessly as he fell to far to get a hold. Dark fell for what seemed like a lifetime, all his lost causes flashing before him. He closed his eyes in final defeat, when suddenly he felt that he was rising.

"What the-"

Dark craned his neck around, and met the huge, azure eye of a Shuppet straining to keep him from death. He pulled back in alarm and the ghost Pokemon almost lost its hold, but many other Shuppets floated up to help.

"Who are you?" asked Dark, a bewildered look on his face.

"My name is Mistress, that's all you need to know for now," gasped the leader.

They carried him across the large expanse of saltwater, landing with a jolt on a small, deserted island. Dark looked around him as the Shuppet gained their breath, and noticed a huge, ominous building built into the face of the island's mountain. Black mist rose from it, and an array of Zubat and Golbat flew around its towers.

"What is this place?" he asked.

The Shuppet leader floated next to him, glowing a soft red in the evening light.

"This is Mt. Pyre, the Tomb of Pokemon long past."

"It's an oppressing place,"

"It's supposed to be," explained Mistress, exasperated, " a mausoleum isn't expected to be a happy area."

"Well, I have to thank all of you for saving me from falling, it was a very kind thing to do." said Dark.

"Kindness has one of the least parts in why we saved you," replied the Shuppet, grimacing as she said the words.

"What? Why?" asked the Grovyle.

"We are starving," explained the Shuppet, laughing as she saw the expression on the Grovyle's face, "Don't look so scared, we can't eat meat. We feed on spite, hate, and anger. You radiate those things, so you are a prime source of sustenance when not much is available in these lands."

Dark nodded in understanding, looking closely at the Shuppets around him. He observed that all looked undernourished and thin, and were looking at him hungrily with their huge, glowing, eyes.

"I can accept that, but I must leave soon, for I'm on a quest."

The leader looked sidelong at him, her pure blue eyes betraying nothing of her thoughts on the matter.

"A quest? Of what nature?"

"I must find another of my kind, a shining Grovyle, and bring her back to her rightful place as alpha in our clan."

"I sense there is something more to this story..."

Dark nodded and told about the tensions and hateful natures of the rival clans. The Shuppets listened eagerly, taking in every word. When he had finished, they rose and did aerial maneuvers around him.

"This is wonderful; a feast for the most deserving Shuppet! I will go with you, and help when I can. Whatever spite and anger I can gather, I will store and bring back to our land!"

"That's very... resourceful... of you," said Dark, a little annoyed at the ghost's enthusiasm.

"Think nothing of it," said Mistress, smiling in anticipation.

* * *

Aquamarine stopped and waited on a small hill for her tired companions to catch up. The news of the danger in her homeland had seemed to fill her with a boundless energy, and she wished she could travel nonstop through the countryside. Only her friends kept her from pushing herself too far now, and even they were becoming exhausted with the rough terrain.

"The ocean shouldn't be far now, guys!" she called back over her shoulder.

Slice stumbled up the small hill, almost falling with the effort. She finally regained her balance and looked at Aquamarine wearily.

"We can't keep this pace up, my friend, we must rest or we will surely fall to predators; this is Salamence country, dangers await for the unwary here. A single mistake can kill you."

Aquamarine looked around at the small gathering and sighed in exasperation.

"You're right, Slice, we need rest. Let's look for suitable cover and then we can sleep."

The group looked around them, but all the cover that could be found in the sparse grassland was a single low tree. They crowded under it, and soon all but Aquamarine was asleep. She watched the sky through the branches, making sure that no danger was near.

After a while, she began to feel drowsy as the middle of the day wore on. Before she knew what was happening, she had lowered her head and was dozing off. Sleep had overtaken her weary body before noon.

* * *

A bellowing roar split the air, jolting Aquamarine awake. She looked into the sky and saw a huge Salamence diving towards the tree, its sharp teeth and claws flashing in the sunlight. A warning chip echoed through the branches and the entire gathering bolted in all directions.

Aquamarine ran swiftly through the grassland, but her shining form caught the predator's attention and it veered to overtake her. It dived, prepared to kill its prey with the powerful impact of its claws, but Aquamarine banked and it hit the ground hard before struggling into the air once more.

She continued as the surrounding grass rose around her like a forest; she could hear the Salamence as it started to prepare for another dive. Aquamarine hurriedly put together a plan in her mind, waiting until the huge carnivore had come close before banking again. The dragon Pokemon was ready for this, however, just like she thought it would be, and banked with her.

When it was plunging for the kill, she stopped in her tracks. The Salamence shot over her head, and she caught the surprised look on its face before it crashed into the ground once again. She leapt upon it as it was down, slashing viciously with her razor sharp leaves while simultaneously ripping at it with her claws. The Dragon Pokemon bellowed in pain, trying to get airborne again, but Aquamarine's sharp teeth flashed and embedded into the Salamence's wing joint.

The predator screamed as the wing went limp, struggling to dislodge the furious Grovyle from its back. Aquamarine added her fierce cry to that of the Salamence's, and leapt off as the huge dragon ran off into the trees bordering the grassland. She stood smugly in the middle of the battlefield, cleaning her blood stained hide while waiting for her friends to arrive.

Soon, she heard a rustle in the long grass, and Slice appeared, with Quicksilver and Mercury not far behind. Aquamarine waited for a few minutes, and began to become worried. One member of her group had still not come back.

"Where's Powder?"

* * *

Mistress flew from the scene of the battle, back from her reconnaissance mission. She had found what she was looking for, and now she must tell the Grovyle so he would lead her to the clan, and she could help her people so that they could finally feast for the first time in years.

Soon, she arrived at the ocean, and it took almost no time at all to appear at her home. The Grovyle was standing there, and he looked at her with his mysterious amethyst eyes, waiting to hear her news.

"I found her!" she said breathlessly.

"Where?" demanded the Grovyle, instantly alert.

"She's in the dragon fields; she just beat up a Salamence!"

"I'm not surprised," chuckled the Grovyle, showing the only sign of amusement the Shuppet had seen since she had carried him to the island, "Take me there."

* * *

The dark form moved to cut off its terrified prey. The circular gem on its forehead flashed a bright yellow, and it smiled, showing it large, sharp teeth. The Breloom squeaked in alarm, but stood in a fighting stance, ready to defend itself.

"It's hopeless for you, don't even bother," hissed the shadowy pokemon, "I will kill you before you touch me. Give up, my prey."

The Breloom snarled, opening her sharp beak and snapping it shut with a loud click. The predator circled about her, but she turned with it, keeping her eyes on the danger at all times.

Suddenly, the form shot forward; before the Breloom could defend, a long slash appeared on her haunch. The plant Pokemon screamed and snapped down at the shoulder of the predator, feeling the salty taste of blood before the creature could rip away.

Both battlers were bleeding now, and both knew that this would be a fight to the death. The chances were equal, and they were ready for the challenge. The dark form's dusky white coat flickered in a patch of sunlight filtering through the trees as it attempted another blow, but the Breloom was ready this time and countered with a powerful kick that sent its opponent to the dirt.

The cat growled and sprang, catching the Breloom by surprise and scoring three long gashes in its side. The prey countered by snapping her head forward and tearing a large chunk out of the predator's haunch as it turned to leap away.

The dark Pokemon screamed in rage and the jewel on its forehead flared in a beam of sunlight, blinding the Breloom temporarily. This was what the cat Pokemon was waiting for, and it pounced with all it's claws fully extended.

The Breloom bellowed as she felt the weight of the cat drop on her, and she struggled to throw it off, but the long claws embedded deeper into her hide the more she thrashed. She felt the teeth of the predator sink into her neck, and squealed in rage and fear.

She lowered her head and slammed her shoulders into a tree, stunning the cat from the impact just enough to loosen its claws from her skin. She whipped around, throwing the predator into a wide ray of sunlight and granting a full view of the Pokemon she had been fighting with.

She leapt, ready to claw the Persian into the ground, but suddenly saw the lithe form of a Grovyle in the trees. She stopped short, and squeaked in alarm when she saw that the Grovyle was not Aquamarine. The Breloom sprinted away and disappeared into the trees, leaving the bewildered Grovyle and beaten Persian alone in the light spattered clearing.

* * *

Dark watched as the injured Persian struggled upright. It looked balefully at him, showing its long fangs in an attempt to snarl, but failed miserably and limped into the bushes. Dark watched it go with curiosity, but suddenly Mistress appeared next to him and motioned for him to follow.

They traveled through the forest, finally coming into expansive grassland. The ground was scuffled where they were standing, and Dark studied the long grooves in the soil with interest.

"That's where the battle occurred," explained Mistress "It was pretty intense; lot's of spite."

"Perfect for you, I'm sure,"

"Definitely,"

"Well, where's she now?"

"This way..." answered the Shuppet.

She shot forward, leaving Dark standing surprised before leaping into action, following as best as he was able. Suddenly, the long grass opened into a small clearing, and Dark found himself face to face with an angry Scyther.

"What are you doing here, and what do you want?" it demanded.

Dark pulled back, stunned at the ferocity of the bug Pokemon, when suddenly a voice in the back called out.

"Wait, Slice! I think this was the Grovyle I saw in the trees."

The Breloom that had been fighting with the Persian walked from the tall grass behind the Scyther. It studied him unnervingly with intelligent dark blue eyes, and nodded curtly.

"You saved that Persian's life, do you know that?" it asked.

"Um... no..." answered Dark hesitantly.

"Who are you?" cut a voice from the grass, coming into the clearing to reveal a Zangoose.

Dark began to back up, rethinking his position, but a hiss from behind him made him jump. He whipped around to face a large Seviper, snarling as fear began to build within him. The dark snake laughed, neither unkindly nor kindly.

"No one here will hurt you unless we have a reason to, Grovyle," it said.

"My name is Dark, and I come seeking a member of my clan,"

The Scyther growled at this, and Dark bared his needle sharp teeth in reply. The two stared at each other with malice, but a voice cut through their thoughts before they could act.

"_What_ is all this commotion about? What's happening?" suddenly, the sky blue Grovyle stopped short in surprise.

"_Aquamarine..._" breathed Dark, staring in wonder at the Grovyle before him.

"_Dark?_ What are you doing here?"

"I came to bring you back to the clan, so you can take your rightful place as Alpha!" exclaimed Dark, as if it were obvious.

"Well, I was just on my way back for the same reason, but you can accompany us if you wish."

Dark stood, stunned by the ease of his quest. He looked around at the group, and noticed that Mistress was nowhere to be found. 'It figures,' he thought, 'I went all this way, on a dangerous quest, just to find that my help was never needed in the first place. How stupid I was for even bothering!' He snarled deeply in his throat as his anger built.

"It figures," he said aloud, echoing his thoughts,"My help was never needed. I'm not going back to the clan, but you should," he growled, leaves beginning to rise on his arms and tail.

He turned to walk away, but the Seviper blocked his path. He bared his teeth in annoyance.

"Get out of my way!"

"You shouldn't talk to Aquamarine that way, she never did anything to you!" it rumbled.

"How would you know, snake," mumbled Dark, trying to move around the Pokemon.

Aquamarine moved to block him, and Dark started to snarl before checking himself.

"Dark, I'm sorry if I offended you. I just meant that the Victreebel have already told us about the tensions in the clans, and we're going to try and stop it."

"_Victreebel_?"

"Yes, they had a prophecy about this event, and it just happens that they were able to talk to me first!"

"I had a vision, it told me to find you and take you back."

Aquamarine nodded, the scarlet leaves on her body rustling softly as she moved. Dark suddenly forgot his anger of earlier, and turned to look at the other members of the gathering.

"Who are _they_?" he asked.

Aquamarine told of her adventures after she had left the clan while Dark introduced himself to the others. When she had finished, Dark told of his own ventures while he had been on his quest.

Suddenly, Mistress appeared above them. Slice was instantly alert and ready to battle, but Dark merely smiled at the Shuppet.

"What took you?" he asked.

"_Me?_ _You_ were the one talking with your new friends. _I_ was waiting patiently; now are we going or what?"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Battleground

Days passed, and the group traveled almost nonstop through the rough country. Soon, they had come to the Great Storm, marking the halfway point in their journey. Traveling through the wet country was easier than it had been in the past, partly due to the good weather of late, and the gathering had soon left the roiling skies behind them.

The last leg of the journey ensued, and soon Aquamarine found that she recognized the forest about them. It was not far to the clan's homelands now. Dark remained vigilant with the help of his Shuppet friend, who continued to be sharp and mysterious on the entire travel.

Suddenly, Aquamarine spotted a footprint in the mud before them. She bent to examine it, and found that it was a Grovyle print. Around it was several others, and suddenly Aquamarine knew that they had reached the heart of her lands.

"What have we found here?" hissed a voice from the bushes, "A blue bitch returning from exile, I presume?"

"Stuff it, ass wipe!" snarled Aquamarine at the large male before her.

Streamer growled, but his voice was lost as Dark emerged from the bushes, teeth savagely bared in a wicked display of ferocity. The younger male balked and retreated into the trees.

"He'll warn the others..." whispered Slice as she came out of the trees.

"Let them be warned," said Aquamarine, "I'm tired of sulking in the shadows."

Aquamarine continued on, and the rest of the gathering concealed themselves in the dense brush all around. They came to the clan's shelter, a place deserted and in disarray, and still had not seen another Grovyle.

"I think this is a trap..." whispered Dark.

Suddenly, Image, Streamer, and five other Grovyle appeared from the trees. They growled and brandished their sharp-edges leaves at the two in the clearing, clawing the air with rage. Dark and Aquamarine answered this with loud snarls, baring their teeth and chirping.

Image walked forward, glaring at the two with malice. His back was adorned with a large, metallic cape, and he flourished it proudly.

"What are you doing here? We banished you weeks ago! Leave, or we will kill the both of you!" he roared.

"I think not, usurper! I have come to finally take my rightful place as Alpha and restore the land, prepare to die at my claws!"

Image laughed and shot forward, prepared to skewer Aquamarine where she stood, but she was ready for this and feinted his blow. He spun around, and gasped as he saw the group reveal themselves from cover.

"You're not so confident now, are you?" sneered Aquamarine as she blocked another blow from the leader.

Image growled and signaled for his followers to join the fight. They dove into the gathering, and all was chaos. Aquamarine only knew that she must defeat Image and become Alpha, or all was lost. She zeroed in on the metallic cape, slashing and blocking blows with a speed she had never reached before. She was oblivious to all wounds, barely feeling the pain as she was slashed again and again and her blue hide stained purple with blood.

She slashed and hit Image across the thigh with a sharp red leaf, but the cape deflected the blow with a clanging sound. Aquamarine suddenly realized that the metallic cloth was impervious to her claws, and she needed to remove it to defeat the false leader. She diverted her attention to the cape, and suddenly it was in her grasp.

Image looked stunned for a moment, and shot ahead to try to take the metallic cloak back, but Aquamarine snapped her head forward and suddenly clamped her jaws around his neck. The Alpha struggled as the shining Grovyle bit down, but he was too close to inflict much damage with his leaves or claws. Aquamarine twisted her head savagely, and felt the neck of her enemy suddenly snap. She let the limp body fall to the ground, and she roared her victory over the fallen Grovyle.

"I kept my promise, you piece of shit," she whispered at the dead Alpha.

The fighting suddenly stopped, and Image's followers looked on in stunned recognition. They quickly fled into the trees, and only the gathering was left standing, bemused, in the battlefield moments later.

Aquamarine tiredly regrouped her friends, but stopped in horror as she viewed the last member. Powder lay lifelessly in a puddle of her own blood, numerous wounds marring her green and tan hide. She looked up at them dazedly, her deep blue eyes far away, before falling back to the stained ground.

"Is she alive?" asked Aquamarine.

"Just barely," answered Quicksilver with a sad sigh, "We need to get her to a healer, and fast."

"There's been no healer around here since my mother was banished," said Dark.

The gathering of Pokemon looked around at each other, lost about what to do. They lowered their heads in mourning, keening at the imminent loss.

"I may be able to help..." hissed a voice in the shadows.

Aquamarine whirled, and was confronted by a Persian. The lithe cat moved forward with liquid grace, loping to sit beside the injured Pokemon.

"I was once a healer," she mused, "but that was before my land was burned; now I am a wanderer. This Breloom has proved her worth to me, and now I will prove mine to her."

The pale cat wandered through the clearing, picking leaves and berries off certain plants and crushing them in her claws. She finally ambled back to where Powder lay, spreading the salve on her wounds. The mysterious balm disappeared within seconds, leaving only faint scars where horrible gashes once lay.

Powder stirred, blinking in the low light. She looked curiously at the Persian resting beside her, and nodded in understanding. The Breloom struggled unsteadily to her feet, helped by the mystifying cat.

"Thank you," she said hoarsely, "May I ask your name?"

"It's Gem," answered the Persian, smiling slightly.

Mistress suddenly blinked in above the gathering, grinning broadly and flashing her blue eyes. The gathering gazed upwards at the ghost Pokemon, perplexed by the Shuppet's cheerful behavior.

"What are you so happy about?" asked Dark.

"I learned Spite!" answered Mistress happily, "Now I can feed my people without having to rely on other creatures!"

The gathering congratulated the Shuppet while she flickered joyfully around the clearing, rejoicing in her accomplishment. Aquamarine turned her attention to the metal cape, still resting on the ground where she had placed it, and watched as Slice gingerly lifted the cloth.

Suddenly, the clearing was bathed in white light. Aquamarine shielded her eyes from the radiance, squinting as she saw the others do the same. When the light cleared at last, there was a collective gasp from the group as they looked at their old friend.

Slice had transformed. What had once been twin scythes on her forearms were now double pincers, and her rough green exoskeleton had changed to a shimmering red. She looked at the others, astounded at her evolution, but suddenly smiled gladly.

"Good for you, Slice!" congratulated Mercury.

"Thank you," said Slice as other compliments came from the gathering.

Aquamarine looked around at her tired friends, sighing as she stepped forward.

"I guess it's finally time to go back to the clan. Whoever wants to come... can, but I won't make you," she said, looking sidelong at Dark.

"I'll come," he said, "It's time to face my past."

Quicksilver stepped to the fore, smiling slightly as she spoke.

"Mercury and I are sorry to say that we cannot meet your clan with you, my friend," she said, "We have decided to go on a quest of our own; a quest to purge both our species of the feud that consumes them."

"Very well," said Aquamarine, smiling. She turned to the shaky Breloom, "Powder, do you feel well enough to travel? We have places where you can rest."

"I believe I can walk... if someone helps me," answered Powder.

"I will, my friend," offered Gem.

"Then let's go," said Aquamarine, she leapt from the clearing and stood beside the trees, waiting patiently for the others to catch up. Mercury and Quicksilver waved as they parted ways with the group.

* * *

Soon, Aquamarine could see the tracks of the Grovyle clan. They followed haltingly, waiting every few minutes for Powder to catch her breath, before going on into the thick jungle. Suddenly, they came out of the trees to face a beautiful sight.

A great, hollow tree, covered in bright green vines, stood in the center of a small lake; its immense roots creating small bridges across the gently stirring waters that several of the chirping plant Pokemon easily crossed. The roaring of a nearby waterfall could be heard, and the agile forms of Grovyle darted here and there around the vast plant. Many stopped when they saw the strange assembly, dashing into the tree as fast as they could.

Soon, an old Grovyle appeared at the entrance of the sequoia. He slowly crossed the root bridges, always watching the small gathering. When he had come close enough to speak, he stopped, not bothering to contain his disdain for the newcomers.

"What do you want here, with a Sizor with you?" he demanded.

"I am Aquamarine, rightful Alpha of this clan come to take my title."

"We have an Alpha; take your leave before we kill you!"

"You don't have an Alpha anymore, old one, we have met him in the heart of the territory and defeated him." snarled Dark.

"Seer?" asked the old Grovyle, surprised, "My eyesight must not be what it used to be! I could have sworn that you left ages ago!"

"I did, for a vision beckoned me to seek out the truth. Now I return with the rightful Alpha!"

"You are the seer, and I must believe," stated the old one, bowing to both of the Grovyle, "but why have you brought so many others, of different species?"

"They have helped us, and are our friends. Do not judge what you haven't known." growled Aquamarine.

"Very well, Alpha. I will spread the news to the clan," muttered the old Pokemon.

He turned and shot over the bridge, belying a speed unexpected of one so aged. The group waited patiently, and within the hour another group of Grovyle had come. Aquamarine's heart fell to see Streamer at the head of the convoy.

"Hah! As if I would ever let _you_ be Alpha, _bitch_. Since my father was killed, I have taken over his role. You will _not_ find it easy to take."

"Very well," growled Aquamarine flatly, "Assemble the entire clan here, to see you _try_ to exile me, _bastard_."

Streamer snarled and signaled for his followers to assemble the clan. Soon, there was a crowd of Grovyle and Treecko congregated in a circle around the two enemies. Aquamarine and Streamer squared off, ready for the battle of a lifetime.

Streamer moved first, darting to grip and tear, but the shining Grovyle moved to the side gracefully. She whipped her head around and ripped her teeth down the young male's tail leaves. Streamer yelped, whirling to face his adversary; one tail leaf swinging ragged and flaccid as a wilted fern.

Aquamarine snorted, waiting for Streamer to make the next move. He snarled and snapped forward, aiming for her neck. She twisted, and managed to take the blow across her shoulder. She winced as she felt hot blood run down her arm, and slashed out with her other limb.

A shriek from her enemy told her that her blow had hit her mark. She slashed again, but missed. Suddenly, a searing pain ripped down her flank; she whirled to face Streamer, who was bearing down on her with savage ferocity. She met him halfway, clawing and biting as her leaf blades became useless at such close quarters. She mentally noted how strong the young male had become, and determinedly dug her feet into the damp soil to unbalance him.

Aquamarine felt sharp teeth grip her neck, and snarled as she struggled to get free. The shining Grovyle clawed at her opponent, ripping long gashes in his underbelly. Unable to bear the pain any longer, Streamer swung his head around and released his hold on Aquamarine, sending her flying to the edge of the circle.

Aquamarine struggled to her feet dazedly, signaling for Dark, who was clearly agitated, to stay out of the fight. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, and turned to face Streamer once again.

She found that he was already streaking towards her, bent on catching her off guard. The shining Grovyle suddenly jumped, surprising Streamer as she bowled him over with vicious back claws. He rolled in the dirt, several new wounds leaking fresh blood as he rose.

Both battlers were very tired, but stopping now would mean certain defeat. They looked at each other, hatred flaring in their eyes; but Aquamarine saw something more in her opponents face. It took her a moment to place it, but suddenly she realized that he was looking at her with admiration. She was stunned, but the lull in the fighting had given her enough time to regain her breath to speak.

"It's time to end this, Streamer," she said.

The other nodded, and they resumed the fight. The battling was less intense, but still serious. Aquamarine suddenly saw an opening in her opponent's defense, and she took it. Streamer was slammed to the ground from her attack. The young Grovyle tried to struggle up, but fell back, fainted.

"You're the true Alpha now, my friend!" exclaimed Slice.

Aquamarine was shocked, but the realization soon dawned on her. The other Grovyle in the clan bowed to her, and she stood proudly in the center of the circle. She suddenly saw that Streamer was awake and struggling to rise, and bent to help him.

"Thank you, Alpha. I'll leave now," he said dejectedly.

"Why?" asked Aquamarine.

"You defeated me, so I have to be exiled. It's no less than what I would have done to you," he said.

"I am Alpha, and I say that you don't have to leave until you wish to," declared Aquamarine to the entire clan.

Streamer looked surprised, but nodded his thanks. He walked slowly back to the great tree, leaving the rest of the clan to their business. Each Grovyle in the clan walked before Aquamarine and bowed, pledging their allegiance to their new Alpha.

"Thank you all," said the shining Grovyle, "I have never felt more welcome. Now, would one of the clan please help my friend, who sits behind me. She is injured and needs a place to rest."

One of the clan, a large female, came forward to help the Breloom and Persian. Aquamarine stepped aside to let them pass, and resumed speaking.

"I will introduce those who have helped me on my travels and now stand as my friends. This is Slice, the Sizor who was the first to befriend me and help me on my travels!"

The gathering cheered as Slice stepped forward timidly and bowed. The Sizor made a face at Aquamarine as she passed, causing the shining Grovyle to stifle a giggle before being able to speak again.

"And Dark, whom most of you know as the seer of our clan. He has helped me more than he will ever know."

Dark stepped forward and nodded briskly, a bored countenance about him. He sighed and turned back to his spot after the initial cheering.

"Last of those who stand here, I introduce Mistress, the Shuppet leader. She has been a great help to both us and her people!" called Aquamarine, "Those who have left for treatment in the tree are Powder the Breloom and Gem the Persian. I am sure you will all meet them soon enough."

The cheering echoed throughout the forest, letting Aquamarine know that she truly was welcomed at last by her clan. She smiled and walked with them into their new home, seeing a new future dawn on the horizon for all.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Happy Ending? You Decide...

_"So, you've come to see me off," said the Grovyle dryly._

_"You don't have to go, no one is making you leave,"_

_"I wouldn't be able to stay here if I tried, my father's deeds will see to that."_

_"What deeds?"_

_"So you haven't heard? I'll be the one to tell you, then; my father had a plan, a dark plan. He wanted to rule not just the clan, but also the entire island. He was close to achieving his goal, but only you stood in his way, even the many weeks ago before you left. That bastard knew that you were the true Alpha, and the clan would hold your judgment above his in their minds, so he wanted to get rid of his opposition..."_

_"The river! But how did you know?"_

_"He thought I was too brainless to do anything, so naturally he was very open about discussing his plans. In a way, he was right; I was too hungry for power to follow my better judgment. _

_When you were chased off, he pushed his plan into motion. He handpicked a few young Grovyle to train, and the rest were made to do menial tasks and practically brainwashed. I almost think he trained me only because it would look suspicious if he did not, for I was not what most would call a fighter. I became one, though, in time..."_

_"You certainly did, my friend,"_

_"Thank you for mentioning me as a friend, but in truth I'm no better than a traitor. My father was mobilizing to take over a nearby clan when word came that you had returned; we would have succeeded too, if you had not defeated us. I fled with what remained of the force, calling for a trap to be set, but I did not realize your skill. I was foolish, and though I was not fully responsible for my father's ways, I also hold some blame. I will leave, and make a life elsewhere where no one knows what I have done..."_

_"I can't stop you if you think you must leave, but I beg you to reconsider. It's not your fault,"_

_"I'm sorry, I have made my decision..."

* * *

_

"Slice, exactly how far _is_ it to your home boundaries?" asked Aquamarine tiredly.

"A few weeks ago you wouldn't be complaining about a small distance like this," joked the Sizor, "Besides, isn't it a relief to _finally_ get away from all that commotion? I really don't know how you can put up with it."

"I don't know either, old friend,"

"Well, at least we know that while Dark's in charge of the clan, nothing serious is going to happen,"

Aquamarine laughed softly, her tired feet dragging slightly in the spongy grass. She topped the rise, looking out over the expanse of pampas that was the habitat of the Scythers. Far into the distance, several darker specks gave away the position of Slice's home clan.

The two friends loped the distance easily, though the Scyther saw them long before they reached the clan. Two strong looking bug Pokemon barred their way, glaring at Aquamarine.

"What do you do here, and why do you walk with a Grovyle?" one asked of Slice.

"I wish to speak with your leader, my business is my own," answered Slice, sounding irritated.

One of the Scyther nodded and bounded away in a flash of green, leaving the other to watch the intruders. The three stood in silence, waiting for the Alpha's answer. Soon, the messenger had reappeared.

"He's on his way, but I assure you, he's _not_ happy," growled the Scyther.

A tall, red form blurred through the tall grass, surprising all four of the waiting Pokemon. The blur suddenly stopped, revealing itself as a tall, well-built Sizor.

"What do you want?" he asked crossly.

Slice looked terrified for a moment, and Aquamarine could see why. If this Sizor was in charge, that meant that Blade was gone, and her friend had no chance of rejoining her clan. After the initial shock, Slice quickly regained her composure enough to ask a question.

"Do you know of a Scyther that used to be Alpha here? His name was Blade,"

The Sizor's eyes widened, and he looked at Slice carefully. She remained still as a stone under his gaze; soon, he shrugged and sighed.

"I'm Blade; do you have any particular business here?"

Slice flinched, causing the Sizor to look at her with worry. She finally found her voice.

"_Blade_? Don't you remember me? I'm Slice!"

Blade jerked with surprise, and suddenly his legs gave out. He collapsed on the ground with a stunned expression. He looked up at Slice as she helped him rise from the earth, eyes close to tears.

"Is it really you?" he whispered, all the others around him lost from his mind as he gazed at his childhood friend.

"Yes, Blade. I've come back,"

The Sizor broke down with a look of relief, sobbing joyfully.

"I never should have let you go; I've done nothing but pine for you ever since you were exiled. I never thought I'd see you again..."

"I'm here now..." whispered Slice.

"I have to ask you something," he said hesitantly.

"What?" asked Slice, perturbed.

"Will you come back to the clan and lead with me?" Blade blurted. He gazed hopefully at Slice, awaiting her answer.

"It's what I was planning all along, my love," said Slice softly.

The two Sizor gently touched foreheads, confirming their bond. Aquamarine smiled at the reunion, and turned quietly to leave while she would not be noticed.

"Wait, my friend," called Slice.

"Yes?" asked Aquamarine, turning back to face the small group.

"I want to thank you, for everything,"

"I didn't do anything-" began Aquamarine.

"But you did. You became my friend, and without that I would have never found the courage to admit that I wanted to go back to my home, or even face my defeat."

Aquamarine nodded, conceding to the Sizor's line of reasoning, and was suddenly engulfed in a white radiance. She flinched at the sudden stretching feeling as she evolved. Her tails melded into one and giant fan-like leaves sprouted from its sides. Twin crests rose from her skull, seeds sprouted from her back, and her legs and neck lengthened as her height rose.

The white glow faded into a dim sparkle, embedding itself into her sky blue hide and red seeds. She looked at her friends, surprised and pleased by the sudden change.

"Good luck, Aquamarine. May you always be happy wherever you venture," called Slice as the shining Sceptile turned and ran in joy through the plains; traveling back to her clan and the home she knew would welcome her.

* * *

Aquamarine leapt through the trees with an energy she had never known before, rejoicing in her new abilities. She could now climb to the very tops of the giant plants, whilst she could not when she was a Grovyle. She took the most of the chance to practice her agility and power.

Soon, she came to the site of the great battle that had gained her victory over Image, now only another small clearing in a large forest. She mused over the memories, most of which were already beginning to fade from her mind. The shining Sceptile shrugged wearily and continued on to the great tree, eager to return to her true home.

There was a huge commotion when she arrived, with many young members of the clan crowding around her and asking questions about her adventure. She laughed and told the excited Pokemon what had happened, quenching their insatiable curiosity while trying to gain some room to breath.

Suddenly, another Sceptile emerged from the tree, trotting towards the small group. Aquamarine wondered who it could be as she waited for him to approach. He stopped not far from the gathering, smiling in a strange way.

"Welcome back, Aquamarine," he said, winking.

"Dark?" exclaimed the shining Sceptile, "But how did- Why-"

"I fought some nasty little Nuzleaf while you were gone; the entire troupe wanted to move in on our territory. We stopped them cold, right everybody?"

A cheer went up from the gathering, many raising their leaves and snarling gently as they excitedly remembered the battle. Aquamarine grinned and turned to her friend.

"You'll have to tell me about it... once these parasites let me go, that is," she chuckled, looking pointedly at the closest Grovyles.

The group of young Pokemon giggled and ran back to the tree to spread the news of the Alpha's adventures. Aquamarine sighed in relief and turned to Dark, who shrugged.

"Well, what do you have to tell me?" asked Aquamarine.

"Nothing much. The Nuzleaf battle was the most exciting thing to happen while you was gone. Oh, Powder and Gem have decided to stay here and train as healers, since we have none. What happened with you?"

"The journey went as planned and Slice was warmly welcomed back to her clan. Oh, and I evolved, if you couldn't see that already,"

Dark nodded, and they both laughed softly. Aquamarine looked around, and suddenly remembered something.

"Where did Mistress go? She's usually around you, you know..."

"Oh, she went back to Mt. Pyre, so she could help her people. She was pretty happy here, but she had responsibilities back at her homeland..."

"Yeah, just like I had to travel back here," mused Aquamarine.

"Isn't the sunset beautiful?" asked Dark suddenly, looking past the trees into the fading orange horizon.

"Uh... yeah, it is."

"You know, before all this happened, I was lost in what I was meant to do with my life. But this journey has helped me with that,"

"Really?"

"Yes, now I remember a prophecy, one I had long forgotten. It was made a long time ago, right after I was born and just before I was chosen to be a seer."

"What is it?" asked Aquamarine curiously.

"_Rarest of Rare  
__Child of the Moon  
__You will wander your life an outcast  
__Loved only by your enemies  
__Traveler, Dark Ocean  
__Aquamarine_"

"What? Was that the Prophecy? Why does it have my name in it?" stammered Aquamarine, worried.

"It warned of what would happen to you, but I had forgotten it before today. It has my name in it too, you know,"

"Only part of it, it has my whole name in it!"

"No, my full name isn't Dark, it's Dark Ocean,"

"Oh, that means- Wait, I remember a prophecy told to me by the Victreebel that ties into this...

_Powers are building  
__Visions will clash  
__The Image of Peril is rising  
__The shining one comes forth  
__Oppose the evil forces  
__Follow the Ocean_"

Aquamarine stopped and looked at Dark expectantly, wondering if he could put the two prophecies together.

"But I'm in that prophecy as well. Why am I in all the Prophecies?" mused Dark irritably.

Aquamarine shrugged, and Dark looked at her curiously. He mused the two divinations over in his mind, confused. Suddenly, realization dawned in his dark, indigo eyes. He watched hesitantly as Aquamarine stared at the flame-colored sky, and finally nodded, a resolute air about him.

"Aquamarine, do you know why I went to search for you?"

The shining Sceptile flinched suddenly and turned to Dark, considering.

"No," she said at last.

"I didn't either, until now..."

"Why?" whispered Aquamarine, a faint hope dawning in her golden eyes. Dark met those eyes, and was lost in their beauty.

"I just realized that I love you, Aquamarine. That's why I went to search for you, and that's why I stayed."

"I knew, Dark Ocean, and I love you too."

The two Sceptile smiled and turned towards the tree together, but suddenly stopped. The sounds of the fast-paced Grovyle lives echoed throughout the forest, disturbing the stillness of the evening. Aquamarine looked at Dark, who gazed back and made a sour face. They both laughed, racing away into the trees as the last light of day faded softly into the tranquil sea.

The End  
By: AzureF  
Started: Aug 2nd 2003  
Finished: Oct 4th 2003


End file.
